Overlay for athletic shoe soles

ABSTRACT

An overlay for athletic shoe soles including a panel dimensioned for being positioned over a lower surface of a sole of an athletic shoe. The panel has an upper surface and a lower surface. The panel has a plurality of openings&#39; therethrough corresponding with cleats of the sole of the athletic shoe whereby the cleats will extend through the openings. The panel has a forward end and a rearward end.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to an overlay for athletic shoe soles and more particularly pertains to allowing dirt and debris that has accumulated on bottoms of athletic shoes to be easily removed.

[0002] The use of shoe accessory devices is known in the prior art. More specifically, shoe accessory devices heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of cleaning cleated shoes are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.

[0003] By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,146,979 to Fabbrie discloses a self-cleaning cleat device capable of removing debris by wiping the surface of the spike while it collapses under the weight of the wearer. U.S. Pat. No. 5,694,660 to Rachwalski discloses a thin elongated tool with a V-shaped notch for use in cleaning shoes with cleats. U.S. Pat. No. 5,386,605 to Murphy discloses a tool for maintaining the cleats on an athletic shoe.

[0004] While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objective and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe an overlay for athletic shoe soles for allowing dirt and debris that has accumulated on bottoms of athletic shoes to be easily removed.

[0005] In this respect, the overlay for athletic shoe soles according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of allowing dirt and debris that has accumulated on bottoms of athletic shoes to be easily removed.

[0006] Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved overlay for athletic shoe soles which can be used for allowing dirt and debris that has accumulated on bottoms of athletic shoes to be easily removed. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] In the view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of shoe accessory devices now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved overlay for athletic shoe soles. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved overlay for athletic shoe soles which has all the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.

[0008] To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a panel dimensioned for being positioned over a lower surface of a sole of an athletic shoe. The panel has an upper surface and a lower surface. The upper surface has an adhesive disposed thereon to facilitate securement to the sole of the athletic shoe. The panel has a plurality of openings' therethrough corresponding with cleats of the sole of the athletic shoe whereby the cleats will extend through the openings. The panel has a forward end and a rearward end. The forward end has an arcuate lip extending upwardly therefrom corresponding with a toe of the athletic shoe. The rearward end has an arcuate lip extending upwardly therefrom corresponding with a heel of the athletic shoe.

[0009] There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

[0010] In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

[0011] As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0012] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved overlay for athletic shoe soles which has all the advantages of the prior art shoe accessory devices and none of the disadvantages.

[0013] It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved overlay for athletic shoe soles which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.

[0014] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved overlay for athletic shoe soles which is of durable and reliable construction.

[0015] An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved overlay for athletic shoe soles which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such an overlay for athletic shoe soles economically available to the buying public.

[0016] Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved overlay for athletic shoe soles for allowing dirt and debris that has accumulated on bottoms of athletic shoes to be easily removed.

[0017] Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved overlay for athletic shoe soles including a panel dimensioned for being positioned over a lower surface of a sole of an athletic shoe. The panel has an upper surface and a lower surface. The panel has a plurality of openings, therethrough corresponding with cleats of the sole of the athletic shoe whereby the cleats will extend through the openings. The panel has a forward end and a rearward end.

[0018] These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

[0020]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the overlay for athletic shoe soles constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

[0021]FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the present invention.

[0022] The same reference numerals refer to the same parts through the various figures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0023] With reference now to the drawings, and in particular, to FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof, the preferred embodiment of the new and improved overlay for athletic shoe soles embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference number 10 will be described.

[0024] Specifically, it will be noted in the various figures that the device relates to an overlay for athletic shoe soles for allowing dirt and debris that has accumulated on bottoms of athletic shoes to be easily removed.

[0025] The present invention is essentially comprised of a panel 10. The panel 10 is dimensioned for being positioned over a lower surface 14 of a sole 16 of an athletic shoe 18. The panel 10 is preferably thin, yet durable and flexible. The shape of the panel 10 is designed to match the shape of the sole 16 of the athletic shoe 18. The panel 10 has an upper surface 20 and a lower surface 22. The upper surface 20 has an adhesive 24 disposed thereon to facilitate securement to the sole 16 of the athletic shoe 18. Alternately, other means of securement could be utilized, such as hook and loop fasteners and the like. The panel 10 has a plurality of openings 26 therethrough corresponding with cleats 28 of the sole 16 of the athletic shoe 18 whereby the cleats 28 will extend through the openings 26. Thus, the cleats 28 will not be prevented from performing their standard function of providing improved traction. The panel 10 has a forward end and a rearward end. The forward end has an arcuate lip 30 extending upwardly therefrom corresponding with a toe of the athletic shoe 18. The rearward end has an arcuate lip 32 extending upwardly therefrom corresponding with a heel of the athletic shoe 18. The arcuate lips 30, 32 provide gripping elements for the removal of the panel 10 from the athletic shoe 18.

[0026] In use, the panel 10 is applied to the sole 16 of the athletic shoe 18 prior to participating in an athletic endeavor, such as golf, baseball, or football. During the participation, dirt and debris 34 will more likely than not become lodged within the cleats 28 of the athletic shoe 18. The user merely grasps either of the arcuate lips 30, 32 to pull the panel 10 off of the shoe 18 thereby pulling the accumulated dirt and debris 34 off of the cleat's 28. The panel 10 can then be replaced on the sole 16 to continue participation.

[0027] As to the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided.

[0028] With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and the manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

[0029] Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention. 

What is claimed as being new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent of the united states is as follows:
 1. An overlay for athletic shoe soles for allowing dirt and debris that has accumulated on bottoms of athletic shoes to be easily removed comprising, in combination: a panel dimensioned for being positioned over a lower surface of a sole of an athletic shoe, the panel having an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface having an adhesive disposed thereon to facilitate securement to the sole of the athletic shoe, the panel having a plurality of openings' therethrough corresponding with cleats of the sole of the athletic shoe whereby the cleats will extend through the openings, the panel having a forward end and a rearward end, the forward end having an arcuate lip extending upwardly therefrom corresponding with a toe of the athletic shoe, the rearward end having an arcuate lip extending upwardly therefrom corresponding with a heel of the athletic shoe.
 2. An overlay for athletic shoe soles for allowing dirt and debris that has accumulated on bottoms of athletic shoes to be easily removed comprising, in combination: a panel dimensioned for being positioned over a lower surface of a sole of an athletic shoe, the panel having an upper surface and a lower surface, the panel having a plurality of openings' therethrough corresponding with cleats of the sole of the athletic shoe whereby the cleats will extend through the openings, the panel having a forward end and a rearward end.
 3. The overlay for athletic shoe soles as set forth in claim 2, wherein the upper surface of the panel has an adhesive disposed thereon to facilitate securement to the sole of the athletic shoe.
 4. The overlay for athletic shoe soles as set forth in claim 2, wherein the forward end of the panel has an arcuate lip extending upwardly therefrom corresponding with a toe of the athletic shoe.
 5. The overlay for athletic shoe soles as set forth in claim 2, wherein the rearward end of the panel has an arcuate lip extending upwardly therefrom corresponding with a heel of the athletic shoe. 